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Axis naval activity in New Zealand waters
A small number of Axis surface raiders and submarines operated in New Zealand Waters during World War II. Surface raiders The following German surface raiders operated in New Zealand waters: * (13–19 June 1940, late August 1940, late September 1940, November 1940, March 1941) * (November 1940, June 1941) *Small auxiliary raider ''Adjutant'' (June 1941) *Tanker Ole Jacob (March 1941) The Orion and Komet sank four ships in New Zealand waters during these operations.Sydney David Waters 'German Raiders in the Pacific' in Episodes & Studies Volume 1. Historical Publications Branch, Wellington. Page 31. Submarines Imperial Japanese Navy submarines operated in New Zealand waters in 1942 and 1943: * operated off New Zealand in early March 1942. Nobuo Fujita from I-25 in a Yokosuka E14Y floatplane conducted reconnaissance flights over Wellington on 8 March and Auckland on 13 March before departing for Fiji.Sydney David Waters (1956), [http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy.html The Royal New Zealand Navy]. Historical Publications Branch, Wellington. Pages 214-215. * briefly operated off the northern tip of New Zealand in May 1942. I-21 s floatplane conducted a reconnaissance flight over Auckland on 24 May.Waters (1956). Page 215. *An unknown Japanese submarine operated off New Zealand in February 1943 Waters (1956). Page 219. Neither I-21 nor I-25 attacked any ships during their brief periods in New Zealand waters.Waters (1956). Page 217. U-862 The German submarine sailed down the east coast of New Zealand in January 1945. U-862—under the command of Korvettenkapitän Heinrich Timm—entered New Zealand waters on 1 January 1945 after operating off Australia. The boat rounded the tip of the North Island on 7 January and proceeded down the east coast.David Stevens (1997), U-Boat Far from Home. Allen & Unwin, Sydney. Page 179. She encountered a merchant ship off Cape Brett on 10 January but was not able to intercept it. The U-boat continued south and failed to reach firing position on another merchant ship off East Cape on 13 January.Stevens (1997). Page 180. On 15 January, Timm took his submarine very close to Gisborne in search of viable targets. While the submarine was not detected, Timm did not find any worthwhile ships to attack.Stevens (1997). Page 181. Timm also sailed close to the shore of Napier on 16 January and attempted to torpedo a small merchant ship off the city. This attack was not successful, with the torpedo missing its target. Timm believed that U-862 had been sighted during this attack and left the area. This belief was not correct, however, and the New Zealand government remained unaware of the submarine's presence.Stevens (1997). Pages 182-183. Shortly after the attack off Napier, U-862 received orders to return to her home base at Batavia. Timm immediately ceased his patrol and proceeded along the east coast of the South Island. U-862 rounded Stewart Island/Rakiura on 21 January and the submarine left New Zealand waters shortly thereafter.Stevens (1997). Page 183. Claims that members of the submarine's crew landed in New Zealand are not correct, and this story appears to have been started by Timm as a joke.Stevens (1997). Page 221. See also *Axis naval activity in Australian waters *Royal New Zealand Navy *Coastal Forces of the Royal New Zealand Navy *Coastal fortifications of New Zealand *Cape Expedition Notes References * *David Stevens (1997), U-Boat Far from Home. Allen & Unwin, Sydney. ISBN 1-86448-267-2 *Sydney David Waters (1956), [http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy.html The Royal New Zealand Navy]. Historical Publications Branch, Wellington. *Sydney David Waters (undated), 'German Raiders in the Pacific' in Episodes & Studies Volume 1. Historical Publications Branch, Wellington. Category:Military history of New Zealand during World War II Category:Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II Category:South West Pacific theatre of World War II